The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-05-20
MnshIngton I.etIer.
{From our regular correspondcnt.l
~ I,vtG fos

WASHINGTON, May III, 1851.
The past week was full Of interest to the
people of Washington as we'll as to the
hundreds Of strangers who came hither
through interests scientific, business and
social. | may say there were four national
| conventions. First came the hotel pro-
p%rietors. representing all the leading cities
and all the leading hotels of the United
| States. who talked about matter of mutual
interest, exchanged ideas and experiences
and had a good time generally. Then
there was the American Surgical Associa-
ton. which was in session here, and the
Society Of the Army of The Cumberland,
which held it's annual reunion and unveiled
the statue it had erected to Garfield with
much impressive pomp ana ceremony.
And Saturday morning saw an assemblage
of gentlemen such as the world has rarely
witnessed. This was the 'forty-niners-
the men who crossed the mountain and
plain. braved the ice fields Of tie Antarctic
seas, or the fervid suns and feyers of the
torrid zone. and founded 4 new empire on
the shores OF the Pacific. \ number of
these California pioneers, probably 4 hun
bred or more. met here and spent the day
together. They boarded a Potomac
steamer and had Il sail down the river, dur
ing which they organized a California
Pioneers Association. \ plank siad dim
ner followed. aud then r~ecitals of incidents,
adventures, and reminisccnce OF their
earlier days, which showed that these
"Jasons" OF the new world are still young
enough to enjoy themselves.
On last Friday, President Cleveland, for
the first time in his life, made a pilgrimage
to the tomb of George Washington. 1t
was at the invitation Of the widow Of Gen.
Logan, who is now regent of the Mount
Vernon Association. The President, Mrs.
Cleveland and about q dozen other invited
guests embarked on tile steamer Corcoran
late in the afternoon. Arriving there they
spent an heur or 50 rambling about the
historic spot and returned to the city after
night.
Two days hence soldier boys from all
over the United States will be pouring into
Washington for the National Drill. The
first company to arrive will be the Eicks-
burg Southrons, then the Indianapolis
Light Infantry, the Louisiana Rifles, and
the Muscatine Rifles. Sunday will be the
busiest day for arrivals, however, and be-
fore midnight it is expected that every
company will be quartcred on the camp
ground.
Miss Clara Barton, President of the Red
Cross Society, will have charge of the hos
pital of the encampment, and q dozen local
physicians and surgeons will be ON her
staff, as also veteran army nurses and a
number of volunteers from the Training
School for nurses. Temporary hospital
barracks are being erected, and the soldiers
will be we'll cared for when they get sick.
To the majority of people of this city the
necessity of an hospital department to the
National Drill seemed to be a surprise.
Preparations by the Red Cross Society
seemed to be the first suggestion to them
that the coming week of military display
was likely to place among us sick and suf-
fering men, strangers and soldiers who
would need treatment and care. Until
then probably not one person in a hundred
had realized that there could be a serious
feature connected with the great holiday
week, Or that 50 much display could de-
velop as a part Of itself. an actual neees-
sity, demanding the same means of relief,
the same watchful care, tender sympathy,
wise provision and firm control that an
equal number of soldiers might require in
a vefitable or an actual campaign.
\ moments reflection, however, makes
it apparent that it would be impossible to
bring thousands Of men here under any
| form of enlistment. from their widespread
homes, subject to change of all habits of
life, food, water, climate, occupation and
rest, and place them in competitive ac-
ton. every man at his most and best, for
| the space Of nine days, without any of
| them falling i'll or needing care or treat
ment. 1t will be wonderful, indeed, if
there be not some who will never return to
theirIlomes.
WESTON.